Motor controller



Feb. 21, 1928;

T.E. BARNUM MOTOR CONTROLLER Filed May 17, 1920 Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E BARNUM, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAH- MEB MFG. (10., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A- CORPORATION 01 WISCONSIN.

MOTOR CONTROLLER.

Application filed May 17, 1920. Serial No. 381,862.-

This invention relates to motor controllers and 'more particularly to combined starting and low-current cutout controllers for alternating current motors having different cir- 6 cuit connections for startin and running, such for example as motors o the split phase single phase type, although certain features 'of the invention may be advantageously used in other relations.

For facilitating starting of motors of the aforestated character it is customary to provide the same with special starting windings adapted to be de-energized during normal running and the present invention has 1 among its objects that of providing a simpli fied controller for effecting starting commutation of the circuit connections of such m0- tors. Another object is that of providing a con- 2D troller of the character stated which may beactuated voluntarily to provide both starting andrunningconneetions fomthe motor and too de-energize thesame, and wliic'lfis furthermore adapted following release there! of when in starting relationto automatically h assume and maintain a relation suitable for running.

Another object is that of providing a controller of the character aforestated wherein so provision is-made for de-energizing the motor automatically u on failure of current.

Other objects an advantages will hereinafter appear. v

In the accompanying drawing, wherein is as illustrated an embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a front elevational view partly in section thereof;

Fig. 2. is a side elevational view also partly in section of the same; while,

Fig. 3 is .a diaammatio view illustrating gertaln propose circuit connections there- Referring to the drawing, the same illustrates two pairs of relatively spaced fixed contacts 5, 6" and 7, 8 adapted when jointly bridged to provide starting circuit connections for the controlled motor whereas the latter pair alone are adapted when bridged 4 \toprovide running connections therefor. A

movable bridging contact 9 is carried by a pivoted contactor arm 10 and movable-therey to three definite treme position for bridging both pairs of fixed contacts, an intermediate position wherein only the running contacts are vbridged, and an opposite extreme position loose connection permitting movement of said arm to its extreme contact making position, whereas for movement of said arm to its contact disengaging extreme osition said arm and the armaturell are a a tedto be forced outwardly by means of sad operatalrni fle- More speoifically each of s aid fixed contacts comprises a conductive metallic strip aving a contacting portion and a portion bent substantially at right angles to the main portion thereof for securement to a base 15;,Such'securement being effected by means of bolts 16 or in any suitable manner. The contacts 7 and 8 are adapted to project forwardly from the base a greater distance than the contacts 5 and 6 to provide for engagement of said former contacts by the movable contact when in its mid-position.

The contactor arm 10 comprises a substantially flat member having. lugs 17 bent substantially at right angles thereto and having at their free ends openings to'receive a shaft 18, the latter being secured in place by means of cotter pins or otherwise and being adapted to carry between said lugs a ,hollow substantially cylindrical conductive member which constitutes the movable contact 9,

said contact being in practice insulated from the shaft/18 by means of an intermediatel means of end washers 20.

The electromagnet 13 comprises a frame 21 to be rigidly secured to the base 15 below the fixed contacts carried thereby, said frame having a rigidly secured core member 22'and positions, viz, an ex- =f orwardly pro ecting upper and lower pole pleces 23 and 24'providing a channel adaptlocated sleeve 19 and from the lugs 17 by ed to receive the electromagnetic winding 25. Said lower pole piece 24 is provided with spaced downwardlyprojecting lugs 26 having aligned openings to receive a shaft 27 which in practice may be formed integral with the operating handle 11. The lower end of-thecontactor arm 10 is-rigidly secured'to a medial portion of said shaft 27 tor-movement therewith. The spring 12 is coiled about a portion of said shaft adjacent said contactor arm, one of the pro ecting ends of said spring being adapted to abuta portion of the magnet frame and the opposite end of said spring being adapted to abut a suitable lug 28 upon said contactor arm for biasing the latter outwardly as described. y

The armature 14 is provided with backwardly extending lugs 29 for loose mounting thereof upon the shaft 27. A projecting stud 30 is rigidly secured to a central portion of said armature and adapted to extend through an opening 31 in the contactor arm being provided with spaced shoulders 32 and 33 on either side of said-arm for permitting a limited relative movement of said elements. In practice the opening 31 in said contactor arm is preferably of keyhole formation having an enlarged upper portion through which the head of the stud 30 may be insertedduring assembly and a reduced lower portion adapted to be occupied by the reduced portion of. said stud when in normal position.

wm' ding of Figure 3, it is also apparent that the ,25 of the holding magnet is arranged to be energized only by the running 7 current of the motor. I y

In operation, the handle 11 is moved against the bias of the spring 12 to bring thecontactor arm to its extreme contact engaging position wherein both pairs of fixed contacts-are bridged by the movable contact 9 and consequently both the starting and run ning windings of the motor. When the motor has accelerated to a suitable speedthe operating handle is released whereupon the contactor arm moves to its mid-position under the bias 0f the spring 12 whereas the armature 14, being now-attracted and held .against the frame member 23, serves by means of the connection aforedescribed to hold'said contactor arm in such mid-position for maintaining the contact 9 in such relation as to bridge only the running contacts. V In order to stop the motor, suflicient force is applied to the operatinghandle to 'overcome the attractionof armature 14 and move the same and the contacting arm 10 totheir 0 extreme outer position.

Should the supplied current at any time fail, the armature 14 is released whereu on the contactor 'arm at oncemoves to e ect disengagement of the fixed contacts under influence of the spring 12. a

What I claim as new and desireto secure i by Letters Patent is: I

1. .In a contgollenfor split phase motors,

The afore-descril edparts are "'eiiclosefthe 'ccmbination with a plurality of sets of 1 within a silitable housing.comprising a flat top section 34 and a separate section 35. providing the bottom, front and sides of the housing. Said top section is provided with an upturned flan e 36 for permanent securement thereof to the base'15 by means of bolts 37. The section 35 is provided at the top thereof with a backwardly turned flange 38 adapted to fit above the front edge of the section 34 to provide for support of said section 35 and also provide a substantially dust proof joint. Said section 35 is in practice secured to the base 15 by means of an elongatedscrew bolt 39 accessible for removal from the front of the housing. I

A bushing 40 having a conduit clamp 41 is screwed withi the top section 34 of the housing while a separable connector 42'is also mounted upon said housing section, said bush ing and said connector providing for int roduction of the necessary circuit connections within the housing. In practice, assuming the controller to be mounted in proximityto the controlled motor, the motor leads are preferably brought within the housing through the bushing 40 and the line connections made through the separable connector 42 as illustrated in Figure viously for difiere'nt' installations this arrangement may be varied. From inspection 3, although obcontacts to establish starting connections and also movable to disengage certain of sand fixed contacts to establish running connections, manual operating means for said contacting 'member, and electromagnetic 1 means to act upon said operating means fo maintaining said running connections.

3. In a controller for split phase motors, the combination with aplurality of sets of .fixed contacts. of a singlecontacting member movable to electrically connect all of said contacts to establish starting connections and also movable to disengage certain of said fixed contacts to establish running connections, operating'means for said contacting member, and holding means-for said contacting member including an electromagnetic winding to be energized upon establishment of said running connections.

4. In an electrical controller, the combination with a plurality of similar and symmetrically arranged sets of spaced contacts, of a co-operating contactor therefor, the contacts of said sets .being arranged for progressive engagement by said contactor and said contactor'being oscillable in the plane of symmetry of said sets of contacts and being elongated in a. direction normal to such plane to simultaneously engage the similarly arranged contacts of said sets, and means for moving said contactor to engage all of said contacts concurrently and to d1sengage certain similarly arranged contacts simultaneously while maintaining engagement with other of said contacts.

5. In a controller for electricmotors. the combination with a plurality of sets of fixed contacts, of a contactor movable to bridge all of the same to establish starting connections' and movable to disengage certain of said fixed contacts to establish running connections, operating means for said contactor,

' means biasing sald operating means to move said contactor out of engagement with said fixed contacts and preponderating means for'maintaining said contactor in a position providing said running connections.

6. In a controller for electric motors, the

, combination with a plurality of sets of fixed contacts, of a contactor movable to an extreme position wherein all of said contacts are bridged to establish starting connections, said contactor. being also movable to an intermediate position wherein certain only of said contacts are engaged to establish running connections and to an opposite extreme position wherein all of said contacts are disengaged for interrupting both of said connections, operating means for said contactor and means to act upon said operating means for releasably retaining said contactor in said intermediate position.

7. In a controller for electric motors,-the

combination with aplurality of sets of fixed contacts, of a contactor movable to an extreme position wherein all of said contacts are bridged to establish starting connections, said contactor being also movable to an in-' termediate position wherein certain only of said contacts are engaged to establish running connections and to an opposite extreme position wherein all of said contacts are disengaged for interrupting both of said connections, manually controlled operating means for said contactor and means to act upon said operating means for retaining said contactor in said intermediate position while providing for voluntary actuation thereof toeither of. said extreme positions.

8. In a controller for electric motors, the

and means to act uponsaid operating means for retaining said contactor in said intermediate position while providing for automatic release and movement thereof to said latter extreme position under predetermined electrical conditions.

9. In an electrical controller, in combination, a plurality of sets of fixed contacts, a co-operating contact movable to engage all of said fixed contacts concurrently and to disengage the sets thereof progressively, op-

erating means for so moving said contact including an oscillable lever,,a spring biasing said lever to cause'disengagement of said contacts, an electro-magnet having an oscillable armature loosely connected to said lever for magnetically holding the same against the action of said spring in an intermediate position wherein certain only of saidfixed contacts are engaged by said movablecontact while permitting independent movement of said arm-to an extreme position for effecting engagement of all of said contacts.

10. In an electrical controller, the combination with sets of fixed contacts and a co-= operating contact movable to engage all of the same jointly and to disengage the same progressively, of a pivoted support providing for such movement of said latter contact, an electro-magnet having an oscillable ar: mature and means for mounting said armature and said support to swing in a common plane, a stud carried by said armature to provide a loose connection with said support, said connection providing for holding of said support bysaid armature in a position for efiecting engagement of certain only of said contacts while permitting independent movement of said support for effecting engagement of other of said contacts, and operating means for said support.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

THOMAS E. BARNUM.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,659,759. Granted February 21., 1928, to

THOMAS E. BARNUM.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page line 163, strike out the words "jointly and to disengage the same" and insert instead "eoneurrently and to disengage the sets thereof; and that the said Letters Patent should be read i with these'corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed' this 20th day of November, A. D. 1928.

M: J: Moore (Seal) Acting Gommissioner of Patents. 

